Butter-print machine



H. H. DOERING.

BUTTER PRINT MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. so. |919.

' Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

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H. H. noamNG.

BUTTER PRINT MACHINE. PHC TION FILED P 0 I9 AP A A .3 19. 1,403,673. Patented Jan. 17,1922. (a il 3 SHl'EL-SHEET 2.

N B *f rg fw 3g m inf/Winn@ H. H. DOEHING.

BUTTER PRINT MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APII. so. 1919.

'Patented Jan. 17,1922.

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. UNITED STATES HENRY H. DOERING, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BUTTER-PRINT MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 1'7, 1922.

Application led April 30, 1919. Serial No. 293,712.

To all whom i5/.may concer/n:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. DoEinNG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and' useful Improvements in Butter-Print Machines, of which the followingis a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a 'part of my specification.

My invention relates to a butter print or molding machine which will be positive or self-feeding when the hopper or receiving trough of the machine has been charged with the bulk or unmolded butter; a machine wherein the compactness of the prints or molded butter will be automatically deg-Q termined by the construction and operation of the mechanism; while at the same time the size of the molds or prints may be readily controlled and determined by the simple adjustment of the head or throat portion of the machine at the delivery end thereof.

One object of my invention is to provide a machine of the class referred to wherein' the feedin of the Abutter Will be determined and contro led by suitable rotatably mount- -ed means, preferably in the nature of worms arranged in parallel relation and with oppositely disposed 'spiral or threads which will induce a positive feed of the butter from the charging to the delivery end of the machine; my invention also contemplating a construction wherein the feeding mechanism or worms may be readily removed without the necessity of dismantling the entire` construction; the operation being accomplished by merely removing the head or discharging throat portion of the machine through the removal of a few bolts or nuts.

Another object of my invention is to pro; vide a machine wherein the molded butter will be delivered to a print-forming mechanism or element and thence delivered to a conveying table or traveling element to be wrapped and delivered; all of said mechanisms being controlled and operated by a single power unit which may be thrown into operative relation with the mechanism at the will of the operator.

The objects and advantages of my invention will be more fully comprehended from the following detailed.- description of the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved butter molding and printing machme. Y.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Figure 1. l

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional-vien7 of the molding portion of the machine, taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 2, and showing the butter` feeding mechanism.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view,A

mechanical form and still embody the spiritof the invention which is specifically described in the ollowin specification and outlined inthe appende claims. y

In the vparticular embodiment of the invention as set forth in the drawings, it comprises the butter-forming or moldin unit; the print-forming or cutting mec anism and the conveying mechanism; the main features of the invention,- however, being' embodied in the butter-molding and print- Jforming mechanisms. These mechanisms comprise a suitable frame or supporting structure as shown at 10, which may be of metal or other suitable material', on. whichis mounted the molding mechanism which consists, preferably of a pai'r of blocks or members 11 and 12 of suitable thickness and width, as well as length, and preferably of wood so as not to affect the butter in its passage through the machine. The blocks or members 11 .and 12 are each provided with semi-cylindrical cores or grooves; with the grooves of the tw'o members arranged so as to register with each other when the blocks or members 11 and 12 are arranged in superposed relation, as more clearly shown in vFigure `5. y

The upper lmember or block 11 is of less length than the lower member 12, as shown in Fi ure 4, in order to provide for the move toward thel opening or chute of. thetrough which communicates with kthe ends of thev circular passages formed in theblocks or members 11- and 12 by the registering semi-circular grooves previously referred to and as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The forward or trough end of the upper member 11 is preferably provided with'a beveled block or end 11 arranged intermediete of the main portion of member 11 and the chute portion of trough 13. vThe block orend 11 is shown beveled on its lunder sur` face with a predetermined taper so as to 26 gradually restrict the receiving end of the end 11'* being also preferably slightly less bevel or inclination at the point 11"A where it connects with the main portion of the n1passage. I have fund in practice that u ess a-proper taper is provided at the receiving end of ltlie .passage through the machine, proper sellf-feeding of the butter in `equal quantities will not be obtained; and the particular ta. r shown in the drawings I find produces t e best results.

Rotatably mounted in' the passages in the main or body portion formed by members 11 and 12 are a pair of worms orscrews 15 and 16; the spirals or threads of the worms being intended to be in contactwith the sides of the passages through the blocks or members 11 and 12, as shown in Figures 3 and 5;

the two passages, however, bein united at a.

the longiassages, as shown at 17 in Figure 5. With t e worms cr screws sup- Eorted throughout their lengths in the locks or members 11 A and 12 as described, it is merely necessary to provide one end Vof each screw or worm with a trunnion, as shown at 18 and 19, respectively in Fi re 3, to enable operation ofthe Worms; an these trunnions are shown preferably squared or shouldered so as to register and fit into the square apertured ferrules or collars 20, 20 secured to the ends of the driven shafts 21, 21. The shafts 21, 21 have-suitable bearings in the supporting standard or pillow-blocks 22. andthe ends of the shafts 21 are rovided with meshing gears as at 23, 23. he one shaft 22 is disp and is provided w1th Vsuitable clutch mechanism, as shown at 24, which is operated by lmeans of lever 25; the clutch being normally held out of clutching relation'by means of a spring 26. The lower end of lever 25 is pivotally connected to a link 27 which in turn is pivotally connected to a bellcrank lever 28 suitably mounted on the frame of `05 the machine and controlled by means -of foot point substantially parallel -wit tudinal axes of 4said passage'through the machine; the block or given a osed beyond the gear 23,

treadle 29 which is disposed atya point in proximity tothe delivery end of the mold- -1ng portion of the machlne.

As more clearly shown in Figure 3, the spirals or threads of the screws or worms are oppositely disposed; that is, screw or worm 15 is provided with a left hand thread or spiral, while worm or screw'l6 is provided with a right hand thread or spiral.

orm or screw 16, which is driven by anysuitable source of power, is intended to revolve in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 3, thus vcausing worm or screw 15, by reason of the gear connections between the worms. to rotate in the opposite direction as indicated by the arrow 1n. Fi re 3. With this mechanism, the butter is positively fedfrom the hopper end of the machine toward the throat or discharging head thereof,

The head or discharging throat is formed by means of suitable members 30 and 31 which are preferably bolted to the end of blocks or members 11 and 12 by means of the rods 32, 32 which may .be disposed through members 11 and 12 as shown in Fig- 90 ure 3; Ythe bolts at the same time clamping the rear en d wall 33 in place. The rear end wall 33 is provided with suitableyopenings for the trunnions 18 and 19 of the worms 15 and 16, respectively, and therefore also pro- 95 Videsy suitable bearings for the trunnions. The head members 30 and 31 are beveled on their. inner faces or arranged at a suitable angle to the ends of members 11 and 12 and' disposed toward each other so as to provide the converging passage, as shown at 34 in Figures 3 and 4. The passage 34 terminates in a throat or discharge orifice 35, which is preferably rectangular in cross-section as shown, to discharge .the butter in slabs or 105 strips of similar configuration, in cross-section; the `dimensions or size of the strip or slab being controlled by adjustment of throat-member 36 Ywhich is held in place by means of a bolt 37 shown extending in a ver- 110 tical manner through the head and through an elongated slot38 formedin throat-menu ber 36. This construction permits the throat-member 36 to be moved in a horizontal direction toward or away from the opposite or stationary Wall of the throat as is readily apparent from the illustration in Figure 3. The adjustment of throat-member 36 is controlled by means of rod 39, the inner end whereof is provided with a screw or worm as at 40 which meshes with a rack 41 secured within a suitable rodve in the side of throat-member 36. The frod 39 extends through to the head exterior as shown in Figures 1 and 3 andis provided with a 125 suitable hand-wheel 42; while longitudinal movement of-rod 39 and its worm 40 is prevented by means of the channel member or bracket 43 arranged in a suitable socket or groove in head-member 30, with the sides of at the same time permitting free rotatlon thereof. It is evident from the construction shown and. described, that upon releasing a clamping nut 44, secured on the end of bolt 37, throat-member 36 will be released sol as to permit lateral movement thereof upon rotation of rod 39, whereby the width of the discharging strip of butter will be regulated. The formed butter passing through throat 35 is discharged upon a series lof freely rotating rollers 45 which are preferably provided with trunnionsas at 46 in Figure 6 arranged in sockets provided in a suitable frame as at 47 mounted on the table or upper part of the standard 10. l

Pivotally mounted on the frame which supports the rollers 45, so as to be disposed in -a direction transversely of the path of the formed butter, is a print-forming device in the nature of a frame, composed preferably of bowed or arcuate formed T-irons 48, pivotally secured at one end as shown at 49 to the frame of the machine so as to permit the device to swing in a vertical direction as shown in dotted lines in Figure 6.

The frame of the device is preferably shown as consisting of two arcuate formed T-irons, see Figures 1 and 2, rigidly secured together by means'of a suitab e handle 50 whereby the frame may be controlled by the operator. I prefer to employ the Tiron formation, for the purpose of strength and rigidity; and the ends of the irons or .bowed members are secured to the horizontally arranged angle members 51, 51, to which the print-cutting wires or elements 52 are secured. A suitable number of wires may be employed, as for example four, as shown in Figure 1, whereby a plurality of prints will be cut with one operation of the print-forming device. The print-forming or cutting elements preferably consist olf wires having their ends secured to eye-bolts 53, 53 which pass through apertures in the angle members or frame portions 51. with their outer ends provided with suitable thumb or butterfly nuts, as at 54, see Figure 6. With this construction, the wire may be placed under pro er tension to effectively cut the prints; w ile at the same time they may be readily replaced upon unscrewing the thumb-nuts 54. The handle 50 is secured adjacent the free end of the print-forming frame and upon raising and lowering the frame at proper moments it is evident that the formed butter discharging onto the free running' rollers 45' will be cut into prints of predetermined size of uniform dimensions. The size, as well as the weight of the prints of the butter may be regulated and determined by the length of the screws or worms and their speed of rotation, in conjunctionwith the regulation orvsize of the throat. The butter whensupplied to the machine in proper quantities is subjected to a predetermined pressure by the worms or screws and formation of the assa e, so t at the formed butter will be of) uni crm compactness when discharged through the throat v 35; and the distance between the respective cutting elements or wires 52 will determineV the size of the prints cut thereby,`so that prints ofpredetermined size and weight can be produced. The formed rints will be caused to move. across the rol ers 45, by the butter discharging from the throat, and thence forced onto a conveying table or continuous belt, as shown at 55, in Figures 1 and 2, which is shown disposedabout a suitable pulley 56, adapted to receive its power by suitable belt or gearing from-a line shaft 5?, which in turn receives its power by means of belt or gearing, as shown at 58, from the driven shaft whlch imparts power to the worms or screws; the'power for the conveying table being transmitted from the driven shaft, however, at a point forwardP of the clutch 24 in order that the conve 'ng table may have continuous operation. sis usual in the operation of apparatus of the class herein referred to, the conve ing table or belt 55 is adapted to convey tli'e prints to a stationary table or platform, disposed along the path of the conveying member 55, where the butter or prints are wrapped by an operator and then placed in suitable cartons.'

In the particular construction shown in the drawings., the shaft provided with the clutch 24 is suitably mounted in bearing blocks or pillows 59 and has its ends provided with a gear|60 which meshes with a pinion,61 secured to a short or stub-shaft provided with pulley 62. With this construction it is evident that power is transmitted to pullel 62 by means'of a suitable. belt and'through the medium of gear 61 to gear 60, so that when clutch 24 is actuated so as to throw shaft of worm 16 into operative relation with gear 60, the gear 23 thereon willkalso actuate the worm 15 and induce the two worms to rotate toward e'ach other and at uniform speed,

thus causing the bulk butter tobe positively 'I fed from the hopper end of the machine toward the print-forming end thereof. With the arrangement of gearin just described, it is apparent that operation of clutch 24 will throw both worms out of operative relaranged at one end of said passages, the upper wallsvof the main portion intermediate of the hopper and said passages bein flared upwardly toward said hopper with t e flare adjacent to the' assages made with a lesser inclination or re so as to gradually restrict the assa'ge for the butterfrom thev hop r to t e longitudinal passages, the end of t e main portion at the opposite ends of the longitudinal passages being formed with conver ing walls to providei a gradually restricte discharge-end, common to both passages, laterally adjustable 4means whereby the size of the discharge orifices may be controlled, and revoluble worms, having oppositely disposed spirals throughout their lengths, arranged in said vpassages and adapted to rotate in unison toward each other and in contact with the sides of the passages whereby the material is com ressed between the adjacent worms' and f from I end to end through said passages, 1n comhavin 1811 bination with a vertically swingi frame horizontal] Ydisposed portions arin spaced re ation, a plurality of cuttin wires disposed intermediate of said horizontally disposed portions, said swingin frame withsaid cutting wires being ad ted to be swung downward across the pat A ofthe butter discharged by said worms,

and re able means secured'to the horizon-` tally isposed portions whereby said wires are secured in place and their tension controlled.

2. A machine of theclassdescrifbed, comi risingamain portion compose o a airio blocks each p'oxdedl with pareille l ks ranged semi-cy in rica grooves, t e oc being in superposed' relation, with the grooves re 'stering with each other, to provide cylin rical passages lengthwise of thel blocks, the grooves in both blocks being formed to provide a communicating passa between the cylindrical passages at a point substantiallyl in the same horizontal plane as the axes of said passages, a worm in each cylindrical passage,'with the spirals or threads of the two worms disposed 1n op site directions, the spirals of said worms bb)- in of diameter substantially equal to the in, si e, diameter of the\ eylindr1cal passages and each provided at one end with a trun-` in para arl nion, an end member removably securedto one end of the blocks to provide bearings for said trunnions, a hopper disposed on the Auppermost block and communicating withsaid 4cylindrical passages by means oit'4 a forwardly tapering throat, a head removably justed and the size of material discharging therethrough regulated, in combination with a vertically swinging frame provided withy a plurality of cutting wires arranged lel s aced relation, the frame and wires being adapted 'to beswung downwardly across the material discharging through said throat. e 3. A machine of'the class described, comprising a main portion provided with a pair of parallely arrangl d cylindrical passages communicatingwit each other throughout their lengths at .their intersecting circumferences, a worm mounted in each cylindrical passage, the s irals of the two worms being oppositely isposed and of diameter su stantially equal to the inside diameter of said cylindrical passages, means whereb the worms are rotated in unison toward eac other, foot'operated mechanism for control ling said last mentioned means, an end member removably secured to one end of said passages to provide bearings for said worms, a tapered head secured to the opposite ends and arranged to provide a single converging outlet, a portion of said head being laterally adjustable to regulate the discharge orifice of 'said head, in combination with'a vertically'swinging frame adapted to swing downwardly across the path of the -dischargin butter and adapted to cut the same into a jurality of prints of predetermined and equal dimensions, Vand conveying means disposed at the discharge orifice of said head for receiving the butter prints, said conveying .means being operable by the worm operating means.,

HENRY H. DOERING Witnesses:

` F. A. FnonaLL. 

